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Saturday, February 19, 2011

A night in the big city ...

"As people grow up, they realize it becomes less important to have more friends, and more important to have real ones."

I was fortunate to go out with the girls Friday night.

Fortunate because 1) we don't get out much - especially all of us together at the same time, 2) we got to go to one of the yummiest restaurants in Portland - located on the 30th floor of the tallest building in the city, and 3) I had some of the best friends a girl could ask for to spend the evening with!

Let me introduce you to some real friends:

Ang.

"No man can be happy without a friend, nor be sure of his friend til he is unhappy."

~Thomas Fuller

Angie is one of my oldest friends ... we met our freshman year of high school and became fast friends after bonding in "Mr. Ed's" global studies class. Angie is a whole lotta fun. This girl is always up for anything, always positive, and is always making me laugh. She is straight-up FUNNY. And she's also a busy lady, with two adorable girls (Bri and Ashley), and she and her husband are serious entrepreneurs - always in the middle of a successful business venture. Despite all of this, I appreciate that Ang is never too busy to make time for her friends. I especially love doing "girl stuff" with her - pedicures and shopping! And dinner dates with she and her husband, Matt are some of our favorites. :-) They're also the reason Scott and I "get out" to the big city as often as we do! (which I wish was MORE often!)

Therese.

"Friends listen to what you say. Best friends listen to what you don't say." ~Anonymous

Therese is my "Cuz". Ever since figuring out (our freshman year of high school) that we are related to the same people, "Cuz" is what we've called each other.

If it were the middle of the night, on any given day, for any given reason, and I needed a friend ... I would call Therese. If I were sick and couldn't have my mommy ... I would want Therese there.

Therese just makes me comfortable ... probably because I know, without a doubt, that she will always have my back and would do anything for me. She is one of the most loyal people I know.

I know that my friends are her friends - but more importantly, that my not-so-friends (really don't want to use the word enemies here, because I'd really rather not have any of those) are also her not-so-friends. And she won't even pretend to like 'em behind my back. Now THAT is hard to come by, people.

Therese and I can entertain ourselves for hours upon hours doing pretty much anything - though we usually don't have to entertain ourselves because we tend to attract the crazies when we're together ... it's a special talent the two of us have.

I don't know where I'd be without my Cuz.

Sherry.

"A loyal friend laughs at your jokes when they're not so good, and sympathizes with your problems when they're not so bad." ~Arnold H. Glasgow

Sherry is my "everyday friend". I literally spend more time with Sherry than I spend with my own husband, I think! :)~ We share our kindergarten classroom Monday-Friday, go to church together on Sunday, and it's not uncommon for us to spend Saturdays together, too.

Although I've only known Sherry for four years, I feel as close to her as anybody. (I suppose this could be due in part to the crazy-huge amount of time we spend together!?) And while my older friends may know more about the whole me because we share so many years of memories, I feel like no one knows the me at this stage of my life better than Sherry does.

The two of us could probably talk for 24 hours straight, with no interruptions (just ask our husbands!), and we share the same values and opinions on darn-near everything.

Sherry is my proof that you are never too old to find a new and truefriend. I don't think it's very often you come across someone, while already well into your adult life, that you can develop that strong of a friendship with. When people don't have a history with you, it's just hard to get to that place of a deeper, real friendship. (or maybe that's just me!) Regardless, I feel so blessed to have found a forever friend in Sherry - even if it wasn't until I was 27!

Jenny.

"Are we going to to be friends forever?" asked Piglet.

"Even longer, " Pooh answered. ~A.A.Milne

Otherwise known as Gwenny. (one of the many stories we could tell you) Jenny has been my best friend since we were old enough to know what a best friend was...eight-years-old, to be exact. I wouldn't even know where to begin to explain our friendship because it is just so much more than that. Having a friend who has been your friend since childhood is priceless. She is like part of my family. I think even my grandma considers her part of the family.... simply because, she's always been there. Family vacations when we were kids, singing together (New Kids on the Block, anyone?), countless sleepovers, riding home in Leroy (Jenny's infamous car, may he rest in peace), being college roommates, singing to each other (in a twin dorm bed), being there when we met and married our future husbands - and being there right after giving birth to our children ... and thousands of memories in between. Nothing can top that. And although weeks and even months can pass between us even talking sometimes ... no matter how much time has passed, it's always as if none has.

Not only am I proud to call Jenny my oldest best friend, but I am proud of Jenny ... because I have watched her grow up and become the amazing musician, teacher, wife, and mother that she is. And it's the way you feel proud about a little (or big) sister. (She's older, I'm bigger, so ...?).

I'm excited for when we are fifty-eight ... and we'll be able to say we've had a best friend for 50 years! Because I know we will. I love my Gwenny, oh yes I do ... I love my Gwenny, 'cause she's so true ... When she's not with me, I'm blue .... Oh, Gwenny, I love you! (this is the song we'd sing to each other nearly every night in our dorm room in college:-)

And did I mention that Jenny and I are about to fulfill a life-long dream of going to Disneyland together!?! Uh-huh. Six days and counting ...

And now I'm in tears. Sheeesh. Too much mushy stuff for one post. But hey, I've got some pretty amazing friends and I wanted to tell you about them! (minus one, who I will have to tell you about soon ... yes, I'm coming for YOU, Mick:)~

And yes, I know there is one more pretty girl in that first picture ... and no, I'm not forgetting about her. :-)

Rachael.

Rachael is kinda new to the "club". Sherry and I work with Rachael's husband, John, and over time - we have had the opportunity to hang out with Rachael quite a few times, as well. I LOVE that she doesn't hesitate to join us - for game night or girls' night - with or without her husband! She is easy-going and easy to talk to - and most of all, she's real, and we are loving getting to know her more. There's always room for a new friend! Especially a cool chick like Rachael. :-) Oh! And she's also the only pregnant gal amongst us at the moment, so we are all enjoying watching her growing (albeit tiny) baby bump. :-) (think pink, think pink! ... I've become partial to girls, what can I say!?:)~

And now, let me just close this (incredibly long) post with a shot of how we ended our evening at Portland City Grill.

1 comment:

Is it hard to leave a comment here on my blog? Like does it make you type in weird security words in a box and stuff? I'm thinking it must be because everyone always comments about my blog on facebook!? It's easy for me, but I'm thinking that's because it's my blog so I don't have to go through "security" :)~ ... let me know, and I'll see if I can change settings and fix it! :-)